Matthew Shipp | Artist

Matthew Shipp is an American pianist, composer, and bandleader born 1960 in Wilmington Delaware. Shipp began playing piano at six years old and his mother was a friend of trumpeter Clifford Brown through whom he became strongly attracted to jazz, but also played in rock groups while in high school. Shipp attended the New England Conservatory of Music where he studied with saxophonist/composer Joe Maneri. He has cited private lessons with Dennis Sandole (who also taught saxophonist John Coltrane) as being crucial to his development. He was initially most active in free jazz but has since branched out, particularly exploring music that touches on contemporary classical, hip hop and electronica. A prolific recording artist, Shipp has released over 120 studio albums including solo works, group works with his duo, trio, quartet and string ensembles, and collaborations with players such as William Parker, David S. Ware and DJ Spooky. Standout albums include The Multiplication Table, Gravitational Systems, Pastoral Composure, Nu Bop and Equilibrium.

Artist Website: matthewshipp.com

Featured Albums: Matthew Shipp

Related Artists: Matthew Shipp Trio, Matthew Shipp Quartet, Ivo Perelman, William Parker

Video Clips: Root of Things, Psychic Counterpart, The Conduct of Jazz